1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vending machine and more particularly to an interactive machine which is usable to dispense a variety of personalized products including greeting cards and/or visual and audio media as selected by a customer. It is arranged to accept inexpensive stock products and to effect modifications such as to provide highly attractive personalized products. It is also programmable according to type and attributes of products to be dispensed and of modifications to be effected for personalization thereof, to facilitate communication of readily understandable information as to available products and their attributes and of the steps required for selection thereof so as to be readily operable by a customer without assistance. At the same time, it is reliable, efficient and fast in operation and it is manufacturable at relatively low cost.
2. Background of the Prior Art
As discussed in the introductory portion of the specification of the aforementioned related applications, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,892,427 and 3,982,744 disclose methods for the production of personalized "ME" books in which, for example, the name of a child who is to receive a story book is printed in the text of a story book. In the production of such books, a computer was used to control a printer to print variable data on preprinted sheet material to form sheets which were bound together in a separate operation to provide the final hard cover book product. As disclosed, many types of variable data could be stored in the computer and such variable data may include quality control indicia which may include check bars or other graphics.
The Rosewarne et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,327 discloses methods similar to those disclosed in the "ME" book patents and the printing of specific types of graphics including pictorial figures having physical characteristics similar to personalized data introduced into the system. A standard microprocessor is programmed to provide storage and combining functions after personalized data is introduced into the system by temporary storage by the purchaser or user on a storage medium such as a punched card. One or more plotters are used for producing the final product, an eight pen plotter being disclosed.
Many vending machines have heretofore been provided for vending of cans, bottles, hot and cold liquids in cups, sandwiches, candy, combs, and various other products, each machine being typically designed to handle only products which have a physical size and shape within a certain limited range. For example, one of such machines is disclosed in the Ogaki et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,565 and is designed for vending of a computer program selected by a customer from menus displayed on a screen, the selected program being recorded on a tape cassette or floppy disc inserted into a tape or disc drive of the machine.